Paradise Found

After an hour’s journey out of Stone Town we arrived mid-afternoon at our hotel complex in the North East of Zanzibar.
What a paradise it is with swaying palms, their leaves clattering in the breeze almost sounding like rain. There is a fabulous pool with a bar where we spent most of the afternoon. The weather is so hot – even now in the evening it’s like a sauna. Luckily our accommodation (two linked round houses) has air con. Evening meals are included in our Half Board and we have enjoyed our evening buffet of Indian Food serenaded by a duo of Violin and Guitar. Really enjoying our break.

Songs of Christmas: Day 13 – The Christmas Song

Each year I start playing Christmas Music from the start of December.

Each day until Christmas (in addition to my other posts) I will post a link to a video of some of the Christmas tunes on my iPod. Some will be carols, others pop songs. Here is my 13th offering:

Day 13

This song has sung “many times, many ways” over the years

Christina Aguilera: The Christmas Song

Christina Aguilera: The Christmas Song (Thunderpuss Remix)

Nat King Cole: The Christmas Song

Donna Summer: The Christmas Song

Francesca Battistelli: The Christmas Song

Sam Levine: The Christmas Song

 

 

 

Ferry from Dar

The Azam Marine is described as the slow ferry though it seems to be going pretty fast to me.

We left Dar at 12:30 and are off to an island whose name inspires the exotic. A far off land which is suddenly on our doorstep. Zanzibar!
As we are leaving the mainland of Tanzania, of Africa we pass numerous boats moored in the harbour’s deep waters.

The sea is flat, the wind is bracing yet remarkably warm, and the sun is deceptively strong as I move into the shade for respite.
The boat is crowded and there are no seats. We are standing on the back of the boat – definitely the best view!

Ferry from Dar

The Azam Marine is described as the slow ferry though it seems to be going pretty fast to me.

We left Dar at 12:30 and are off to an island whose name inspires the exotic. A far off land which is suddenly on our doorstep. Zanzibar!
As we are leaving the mainland of Tanzania, of Africa we pass numerous boats moored in the harbour’s deep waters.

The sea is flat, the wind is bracing yet remarkably warm, and the sun is deceptively strong as I move into the shade for respite.
The boat is crowded and there are no seats. We are standing on the back of the boat – definitely the best view!

In Dar Streets

Having flown from Mwanza to Dar (Es Salaam) in just over an hour on Fast Jet we now face the slow crawl through Dar to the ferry port. Dar’s traffic jams are notorious in the region and it could well take twice as long to travel this short distance compared to our cross country flight.
The weather is hot here at seal level- more so than our mountainous home, luckily we have procured at a good rate an air conditioned van to get us there – just hoping we get there in one piece – the driving here is atrocious.
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Once at the ferry port it’s the slow (consequently cheaper!) boat to Zanzibar, reckoned to be two and a half hours. We are seeing it as part of the holiday (much as we always did on the cross channel ferry to France!)<

Airport Travel

It’s back to Mwanza Airport, the place of our arrival nearly 4 months ago. It’s not the biggest airport in the world. We nonetheless have a two hour wait for our flight. Check-in was lengthy (given the number of people) as with all things here. Next stop Dar!

A distant view of Kilimanjaro.

In Dar awaiting baggage before a slow taxi ride through Dar to the ferry terminal and on to Zanzibar!